Lonely Hearts and Diseased Hopes
by wurd-god
Summary: Darcy Lewis was above all, a confident, knowledgable woman. She was however, poor with little prospects. That is until she lands a job at Stark Industries and is given the opportunity of a lifetime. But being given a chance doesn't quell the aching loneliness she feels and all she really wants is someone to love and be loved in return.
1. the loneliness settles within me

_I don't own anything related to Marvel and though Darcy Lewis is not mine, I did take some liberties with her character. Anything you recognise is not mine and this is meant for entertainment purposes only. I haven't written fanfiction in almost two years so my apologies if I'm a bit rusty._

* * *

**Chapter One**

**the loneliness settles within me**

* * *

Darcy flashed her visitor's pass to the security guard who briefly checked her credentials before nodding her through. She nervously checked her appearance once more in a small compact before closing it with a resounding click that reverberated through her nervous and sweating body and shoved it in her small shoulder bag.

What was she doing? Dear Thor, she was in Stark Tower or was that Avengers Tower now? Whatever it was called, she was in it! The elevator dinged and the crowd surged forward. There was enough room if she kept her arms to her front and back straight and rigid. Sometimes, having curves was a curse...okay, more like _all the time_.

She smiled at the petite blond beside her; the smile turning frosty when the blonde's eyes fell to her chest and moved away with a discrete eye roll. The caustic remarks froze on her tongue when she remembered that this was her first job interview, _serious_job interview since...hell, even before her and Jane hightailed it to London.

When the elevator opened on the tenth floor, Darcy was so tempted to hit the back of the blonde's heel with her toe and send her stumbling in those Louboutin knockoffs, and yes she knew the difference thank you very much Jane. But she just barely restrained herself because today was the first day of Darcy Lewis, adult extraordinaire.

Except for her sleeping in this morning so she had to run through her morning routine, and eating two packets of her favourite pop-tarts...but aside from that, she was an adult!

She glanced at the numbers lighting up as they ascended the tower and began sweating. Who knew she'd be so nervous for a petty job interview? Even if the position was... what was it again? Oh right, Assistant to the manager in the Legal department, which was totally a real job Jane.

Even if she had to get coffee for the first few weeks, she was down with that; she had done a brief interning stint at a legal office before the senior partner got a little too handsy and entitled, wanting to play 'hide the weenie': his words and so not hers.

But that was the past, the child Darcy. She just hoped her new manager was not a creep because at this point, she needed any job she could get. New York was hell expensive and being a Political Science graduate at Culver University meant she needed to start paying back her student loans or they were going to come after her. And she wouldn't put it past Culver not to get a little to eager like The Man or in her case, Agent iPod-thief.

The elevator dinged and she glanced up with a start realising it was her floor. She stepped out, her worn black heels biting into the dark slate carpet. The floor was busier than she thought but this was Tony Stark's tower so at this point, should she really be surprised? Spotting the reception desk, she straightened her shoulders and confidently stalked to it, a polite smile on her cherry red lips.

"Good morning." Ann, the receptionist, if she was to believe the nameplate, smiled politely.

"Hi, I have an appointment with Mr Ramirez." She smiled, crossing her arms over her waist in habit.

The receptionist's eyes flickered to her white blouse covered chest before a brow rose and she typed a few things into the computer, "Ah, yes. The nine o'clock job interview. He's on his way, if you'll just have a seat there." She motioned to a few plush black chairs against the windowed wall.

A sardonic brow rose and though she had tried to be polite, she felt her smile grow cold, "Thanks." She bit out before leaving. She heard a huff behind her but refused to deign herself any lower and sat on the edge.

Regardless of her old job corralling scientists before Thor figuratively landed in Jane's lap and having a degree, she was still always going to be the curvy, well-endowed brunette with full lips. _Always._ Even if she sprouted science at people, she was simply Darcy the ditz. Even Jane called her that sometimes.

It stung but she pretended Jane meant well. Feeling the familiar edge of loneliness bite into her gut, Darcy forced it away. She could wallow in self-pity in her shitty apartment after she gave a kick ass interview later but now was not the time.

"Miss Lewis?" A voice asked and she turned her head seeing a middle-aged, slightly plump man walk towards her, his belly straining against his dress shirt.

She stood up and shook his hand with a polite smile on her lips, "It's very nice to meet you."

With heels, she was a few inches taller than him which gave him great vantage point, damn it. "If you please come with me, dear." He smiled thinly, his dark eyes scrutinising her.

With a silent sigh, Darcy followed behind ignoring the speculative looks that were sent their way. Oh, she knew what they were thinking but if she didn't play horizontal poker with her old boss, she sure as hell would not with this one either. If she even got the job, that is.

What followed was Darcy's best hour; give her a topic and she could talk anyone's ears off, with confidence. There may be days when she felt off or days when the thought of leaving her bed sounded like torture but she was her best when it came to talking about everything and saying nothing at all. It was probably the reason why she landed the old internship to begin with.

When she was surrounded by people or at least talking, the loneliness that threatened to crash receded; maybe that's why she liked working with Jane and Erik. They never noticed the sadness and she never had to tell them because they were always too busy doing science to care.

Mr. Ramirez smiled and though at first she had pegged him to be a creep, he wasn't, at least not that much. He was considerate, thought-provoking and he didn't demean her. Sure, his eyes kept straying but beggars can't be choosers, right? "So why political science?" He asked leaning back in his chair.

She smiled brightly having spent the better part of the past five years cultivating the perfect answer, "Life is politics; it's everywhere and everything. It's not just about politicians but the way the world works. There's intrinsic value in learning about politics even though there's so many preconceived notions surrounding it." She replied realising she just used 'intrinsic' and 'value' in the same sentence. Dear Thor, had she really paid that much attention in her philosophy of political theory class?

He grinned, "Do we have a Plato and Aristotle fan here?"

She shook her head, "Aristotle, sure but Plato was," swallowing the need to say 'whack', she settled for, "a bit off his rocker, I think."

Mr. Ramirez laughed and flipped through her resume once more, "I always thought Plato was a little too extreme myself." He nodded to himself and stood up, reaching over his desk with an extended hand, "Thank you again, Ms. Lewis, we'll let you know in a few days."

Darcy smiled and shook his hand, "Thank you, Mr. Ramirez."

It wasn't until she was in the elevator that reality crashed into her and she realised she'd have to forgo food for a few days to make rent if she didn't land the job and soon.

She stepped into the lobby and moved to the side to let others stream past her. Shrugging out of her blazer, she slung it over her arm and began to walk towards the exit. She wanted to go home, take a cold shower because it really was too hot for her liking and eat ice cream until she felt better.

"Lady Darcy!" A voice boomed from behind her.

Recognising the voice, Darcy whirled around and saw a streak of blond before she was enveloped in two steel arms. Laughing, Darcy grabbed onto Thor's shoulders for support as he crushed her, "Hi Thor."

A discrete cough sounded from behind them and they both turned their heads to find a few people studying them curiously. She saw a man talking on his cellphone scowling at them but before she could return the scowl, because she was an adult and that's what petty adults did, Thor lowered her back to the ground. "How fares you, Lady Darcy?" He thundered.

Grinning, Darcy patted his arms, "Oh, someone's been working out?"

He smiled with a nod, "I have been and I thank you for noticing."

"Want to get coffee?" She offered then realised she was poor and would need to pay for Thor and the multiple coffees he would no doubt drink. "Want to come over instead? I have pop-tarts."

"It would be my pleasure, Lady Darcy! But first, I must let the Voice know first." He explained and pulled out a Starkphone.

It was a sad state when Thor had a Starkphone and she still had an old phone from six years ago. But she remembered from one of Jane's insomniac late night rants over the phone that he was an Avenger now, which would not only explain why he was here but also the phone. She felt oddly proud of Thor for being an Avenger; proud but worried.

He pressed a number and waited, smiling goofily down at her that she happily returned. "I will not make this morning's gathering." He explained.

She strained her ears to hear what was being said but only heard buzzing, "Tell the Man of Iron I have accepted a friend's invitation. That is all, Voice."

"Wow." She blinked, her grin broadening, "You're kind of a big deal now, Thor."

He laughed, his voice reverberated through her and she finally got tired of the looks they were garnering and grabbed his hand, pulling him from the Avengers Tower. "Man of Iron, the Voice…kind of cool, buddy."

Thor grinned sheepishly, "Midgard is my home and Man of Iron has been gracious to give me boarding."

She nodded, "Well, I'm happy for you." There was a long pause before she broke it impatiently when it seemed Thor was too happy grinning to say anything. "How's Jane?" She asked as they walked farther from the tower.

Thor glanced curiously down at her, "I would return the question, Lady Darcy. She has heard nothing but silence from you." He frowned, his voice both worried and irate.

She patted his arm before wrapped her arms around it, "Sorry! I've been busy trying to get settled. I phoned her three weeks ago, though."

They descended the stairs of the subway and she turned to him, "Remember what I said about inside voices?"

He nodded, "It helps us blend in." He repeated loudly, though knowing this was Thor, that was a big concession and she'd gladly take it.

She grinned, "You look good in plain clothes." She complimented and it was true; he looked amazing wearing black jeans, weathered boots and an emerald t-shirt covered by a tanned leather jacket. And if he wasn't already taken by Jane, she'd have made her move long ago…especially when he was wearing his armour. But alas, he was taken and she'd have to settle for boring human men instead.

Standing on the subway platform, he glanced around worriedly, "Lady Darcy—"

She quirked a brow and waited, "Darcy," he tried again and smiled at her nod of encouragement, "I and my Jane are worried for you. She has not heard your voice in more than a fortnight and now my worries grow. You take this steel devil surrounded by menacing—"

Darcy caught his lifted hand in hers, not even bothered anymore by how much bigger his hands were than hers, "Thor. Inside voice." She reminded and when the train pulled up, she tugged him along, "We'll talk when we get to my apartment, okay?"

He sighed but remained quiet, casting furtive worried glances her way. She felt like she had just kicked a puppy but after fifteen minutes of sitting side by side in the train, her stop came and they both left. She winced when she caught the scowl on his face as he looked around them, his shoulders straightening.

She recognised his battle ready stance but kept tugging him after her. Yeah, she lived in a _very_ bad neighbourhood, so bad that she'd bought a second taser and two bottles of pepper spray. But if she had to cut her internet, television and revert her cellphone to archaic minimums, she would survive almost anything.

"Lady Darcy!" He boomed the second they were in her apartment on the third-floor. "What is this nonsense?" He demanded studying her one bedroom, closet small place.

"It's not that bad." She shrugged trying not to wince when he scowled at the ivory peeling paint, scuffed floor and metal barred window.

"This squalor…" He began.

"Hey, dude! This is my place!" She feigned outrage, leaving him in the living room so she could go rummage around her kitchen.

"I will insist Jane return immediately and—"

"No!" She shouted before smiling apologetically at his frown, "It's just that…I can't live with her again."

"What is this nonsense, Lady Darcy? I thought you and my beloved were sisters in arms." He thundered.

She nodded and waved him into the kitchen, letting him sit at the only chair in her apartment. Yes, she couldn't even afford a couch. Milk crates were great for many things, she discovered since moving to New York.

"I can't live with her because you both are going to keep me up or she's going to keep up for science…" She shuddered. Some nights she could still hear their loud…passion and she swore she'd never live that nightmare ever again. She loved them both but no. Just no.

He sighed and watched as she moved around the kitchen, "It saddens me that you live here."

Darcy closed her eyes but pretended to keep searching the cupboard until she had properly composed herself. She pulled out a box of pop-tarts, plated them and set them on the small table before Thor and added a glass of milk for good measure.

She crossed her arms under her chest and smiled when Thor was too preoccupied with the pop-tarts to notice or care about her chest. Yet another reason she loved that blond goofus. "How about if I'm ever in need, I'll call you for help?" She offered knowing she had no intentions of ever doing that. But she wouldn't kick a sad puppy and Thor looked like a very sad golden retriever puppy.

He nodded, appeased, "Come and feast with me Lady Darcy!"

Three exhausted hours later, she watched the taxi pull away from the sidewalk before she moved away from her barred window with a sigh. Thor had been adamant that she should stay inside without an escort and she had been just as stubborn about him not taking the subway alone. She still remembered the London Train disaster and she'd be damned if she'd make the same mistake again in New York. She loved that giant but damn, he tired her out like a toddler and after babysitting for a few years back in high school, she certainly knew what she was talking about.

She pulled out her phone and quickly added Thor's information knowing with distance sadness that she wouldn't phone him again. At least not until she got her shit together and let's face it, that'll take _awhile_ before that happens.

Her shoulders slumped and she allowed the quiet misery to settle into her bones. The loneliness was lead in her gut, weighing her down until she stumbled to her bedroom and pulled off her clothes. It wasn't even three in the afternoon but she was too depressed to care about job searching when she could sleep away the afternoon.

Jane was in Norway with Erik, on what they called their 'science vacation' and Thor was where he belonged: with the Avengers. And Darcy? Well she was in her shitty apartment, utterly alone and belonging to no one other than the rats scurrying in the walls. If she died in the middle of the night like her neighbour had, it'd take weeks before she would be found and it'd probably be because of the smell. It was a sad thought that only made the loneliness engulf her further until sleep blissfully came.


	2. like cement in my veins

_I do not own anything related or recognisable from Marvel, this is for entertainment purposes only. Firstly, Glenbrook is a made up borough and secondly, I'm a political science major so if you feel like I keep poking fun at it, just know I'm a little entitled to since I'm paying for an overpriced degree. _

_Also, if you have any prompts or pairings, please let me know since I haven't chosen a pairing yet and I'm free-forming everything at this point. Thank you for the follows, reviews and interest in the story. P__lease enjoy…_

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**like cement in my veins**

* * *

"It is with regret that I inform you, Mr. Stark that Thor will not make the meeting." Jarvis' polite voice broke through the common area earning more than a few curious and speculative frowns.

Tony Stark blinked, looking up from his Starkpad with a frown, "What?" He asked glancing around the common area, "What'd Shakespeare In the Park say, Jarvis?" He demanded.

"Thor had a prior agreement with an acquaintance, sir." A sigh evident in his voice.

"Are you saying I actually showed up to a meeting on time, you're welcome by the way," he called out to Steve, "only for Drapes to back out last minute?"

Bruce smirked behind the lip of his steaming mug of peach oolong as Tony began ranting about long haired aliens. "He's meeting with a woman." Natasha commented sauntering into the room.

"How do you know?" Tony demanded following behind Natasha as she stalked into the kitchen.

She quirked a brow, "Leave it alone, Stark."

He sighed making sure the kitchen table was between them as he poured himself another cup of coffee, not that a little kitchen table could stop Romanov. "Spies." He muttered pretending to ignore the look Natasha threw him.

Steve glanced up from his breakfast from the kitchen table, the fork frozen in mid-air, "Doesn't Thor already have a dame?" He quietly asked Bruce sitting across from him.

Bruce nodded, "That he does." He replied.

"Well, well, well. It seems our Point Break is rocking the Kasbah with someone on the side." Tony grinned gleefully and turned back to the Starkpad in his hands, typing furiously.

Natasha rolled her eyes as she pulled out the carton of orange juice from the communal fridge and poured herself a glass, "He was with Barton in the lobby." She explained to the two sitting at the table.

Tony nodded, "Jarvis, pull up the lobby feed. Camera eight has the best angle." He demanded as he walked into the common room waiting eagerly for Jarvis to stream the feed to the television.

"Stark." Natasha warned following behind him.

"I'm just making sure my teammate isn't dating some...spy." He said pointedly.

She rolled her eyes, "You will not step in." She ordered.

Bruce sighed and decided it was much too early to deal with them but on his way out of the common room, found himself loitering around to watch the feed. Steve finished his breakfast and washed his dishes before stepping into the common room where he too found himself watching the feed.

He saw Thor shout something and run towards a short brunette before enveloping her in his arms and swinging her around. Steve found himself frowning as he saw the elation on the woman's face, her cherry lips grinning wide. He felt his gut tighten and with a sound of disgust, stalked from the room.

Natasha watched Steve depart before turning back to study Stark. "You will leave them alone." She threatened.

Tony waved her threat away, "Yeah, yeah. Barton's tailing them, I take it?" He asked rhetorically when he saw a man trail after the duo.

She quirked a brow and perched herself on the arm of the white couch, "Barnes and Coulson will be back in two days."

Bruce smirked at his shoes, "You know he'll take that threat as a challenge, right?"

Tony smiled at Bruce, "I only need an hour."

Natasha bit back a sigh; it was pointless once Stark had something in mind. Not that she'd put up too much of a fight. Her and Clint already had decided on shifts and she knew Barnes would be okay with helping out when either of them were on missions.

If it were Stark having a woman on the side, she wouldn't care, though she would _kindly_ give her opinion on the matter because she liked Pepper; despite what others thought. If it were Barnes or Clint, she wouldn't even blink.

But this was Thor. Thor, like Steve was innocent in so many ways, not ignorant. No, she wouldn't make the mistake of confusing the two. Even Banner with his vulnerability was innocent. She felt very protective of her teammates; there were only a handful of people she liked, respected and willingly would protect at all costs against hurt or manipulation. And she would not sit idly by as it happened.

"Her name is Darcy Lewis: twenty-four year old political science graduate at Culver." Tony read from the screen.

Bruce's ears perked up at the mention of Culver, "Really?" He asked quietly stepping closer beside Tony.

"No wonder she can't find a job with that degree." Tony mocked.

"Tony." Bruce lightly scolded.

"It's true." Tony retorted. Natasha smirked waiting for either of them to realise the reason why Ms. Lewis was at Stark Industries to begin with.

"Sir, if I may?" Jarvis interrupted.

"Come at me, Jarvis." Tony said instantly.

"Ms. Lewis applied for an assistant position in the legal department." Jarvis said with restrained amusement that Tony ignored.

Bruce grinned as rubbed his mouth, "Think I'll go...do yoga." He said.

"Meet up in the lab at two?" Tony called after him.

"Of course."

Tony smiled, "Hmm, applied under the Ramirez guy." He commented.

Natasha sighed knowing she'd have to chat with Pepper before Tony meddled any further. She may not understand Thor and Ms. Lewis' relationship, _yet_, but she understood giving people a chance. She was all about second chances and she would make sure that if the Lewis woman failed, it would be by her own hand and not because of Tony's machinations.

0000000000000

Thor stalked into the common room having left Lady Darcy to her own devices an hour ago, a ruminating frown between his brows. He was uncomfortable leaving his chosen sister behind in such squalor conditions and noticed her wan and pallid appearance.

He was very unhappy knowing Lady Darcy was starving whilst he revelled in the luxuries provided by the Man of Iron. But his chosen sister was stubborn, if not more; something he was proud of and he knew she wouldn't accept help unless she asked. It was only because he knew how strong she was that he left her behind. He briefly wondered for the hundredth time since meeting Lady Darcy if she had Asgardian blood in her.

"Thor?"

He turned from pillaging the fridge, his frown softening upon seeing Natasha saunter into the kitchen, "Lady Natasha!"

Despite her need to remain distant, Natasha felt her face soften into a small smile before she forced it away, "Are you okay? You seem to be attacking the fridge more than your usual style." She nodded towards the counter.

Thor turned and glanced at the counter with a sheepish smile; takeout containers, boxes of pop-tarts lining the counter, "I'm in need of sustenance and comfort." He explained.

She nodded sagely, "Then we'll need ice cream."

"And libations!" He added with a grin.

Natasha helped plate the leftovers, "Everything okay with Foster?" She asked innocently.

He nodded, "Of course, Lady Natasha! My beloved is well and I thank you for your concern."

She stifled a smirk, "Then what's bothering you? You know Stark's going to have meltdown when he sees we've emptied the fridge and cupboards."

He chuckled, "You'll have me to believe iron melts so easily, Lady Natasha? Surely this is one of your jests."

She blinked, "Thor, remember how we talked about figurative language and literal?"

He sighed, "Midgard is a complicated place."

There was a long pause as Natasha microwaved the food and set the table, Thor plating enough pop-tarts and cookies to give a normal person diabetes, "I am worried for a friend." He said softly.

Natasha's hands instinctively went to her side for her guns when she realised she'd left them in her quarters. She'd only ever heard Thor speak softly when he was overcome by rage or hurt and both of those things did not settle well with Natasha.

Despite her procuring both Pepper and Stark's promises to leave the girl alone, she suddenly felt the need to hunt Ms. Lewis down and teach her a lesson or two about taking advantage of Thor. "About what?" She asked feigning serenity and not the protective anger burning through her veins.

"My beloved Jane's sister in arms, Lady Darcy." He said with a sigh as he fell into the metal chair.

She had to hand it to Stark, the new chair he'd made only groaned under Thor's weight and not crumpled like the other six chairs they'd gone through, "Eat." She set the heated plate before him and sat down opposite him, her back facing the wall.

He began to dig in with his usual relish, "Her quarters are smaller than the prison cells we have in Asgard. Is this usual in Midgard?"

She lifted some chow mien with her chopsticks; she already knew where Ms. Lewis lived. She was more than curious now about her sudden appearance and encounter with Thor, "I'm sure she can handle herself."

He looked crestfallen and Natasha let out a small sigh, "Yes?"

"Hey Thor." Steve smiled politely at the two Avengers sitting at the kitchen table, nodding once to Natasha.

"Steve!" Thor thundered with a pleased grin. "Join us!"

Steve glanced at the table and realised belatedly that Natasha had already set out another place at the table, "Banner and Stark are still in the lab and Clint's busy." She explained effortlessly.

"Thanks." He lowered himself between the pair, casting a furtive glance at Natasha that she probably caught; she both amazed and terrified him. He waited for Natasha to pick up her chopsticks before he dug in as well.

"I trust you are watching over her." Thor glanced at Natasha.

She nodded, ignoring the inquisitive look Steve sent them, "Clint's on it."

"Good." Thor nodded, appeased. "I would normally not be so content but I must admit, my worry is great."

Steve wiped his mouth on the napkin before saying, "Your lady friend?"

He nodded, "She lives in—"

"In Glenbrook." Natasha explained to Steve.

His eyes widened and he quelled the urge to demand why Thor had left a dame there. It was saying something if even he, frozen in time, knew the reputation Glenbrook harboured. "I can take a shift or two." He offered refusing to wonder what he was doing.

She nodded, "We'll work it in our schedule."

"And I too shall join this team." Thor demanded loudly.

Shaking her head, Natasha began to eat again, "Sorry, Thor. She knows you and you're not exactly known for blending in."

He sighed dejectedly and Steve threw a frown at Natasha hating the disappointment on Thor's face, "But don't worry, Thor. We'll make sure she's safe."

Thor nodded with a pleased smile, "So it is done."


	3. pulling me down, down

_Disclaimer: No I own nothing recognisable nor do I own Marvel. I'm crazy and this is just for entertainment. _

_Thank you so much for all of the reviews, follows and interest! Please enjoy..._

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**pulling me down, down**

* * *

Darcy stretched, her back aching from the six straight hours of sitting in a shitty chair at her desk. It didn't even have wheels which was shocking since she was working for Tony Stark at Stark Industries. Yes, that's right. Her, Darcy Lewis, was now the assistant in the legal department.

It had taken precisely two days before she'd heard back from Mr. Ramirez, or Edgar as he kept insisting he call her. She'd been elated, even dancing around her apartment in her skivvies in celebration. She'd phoned Jane to gloat and point out that yes, one could get a job with a political science degree.

Jane had been ecstatic until Erik shouted something in the background, and then promptly lost her friend to science. Oh well. It was nice hearing Jane's voice, it alleviated the emptiness she felt, at least for a little while. Even if it had been a long distance call and would no doubt pay an arm and a leg on her next mobile bill.

But now that she had a job, she could afford to eat again! And shower, and splurge on a few boxes of pop-tarts, if there was a sale. Oh, she was still shitting poor and it was hard to be optimistic with the crumbs she was being paid. But she had to be optimistic and honestly, she was unbelievably thankful she landed the job. Maybe spouting out some political philosophy had impressed the higher-ups.

"Darcy, have you taken your lunch yet?" A hassled Edgar asked as he stepped up to her desk, sequestered at the very back of legal department floor, hidden behind a column.

She had a feeling her desk had been an impromptu addition to the lovely office floor since it was jammed, quite literally, between two columns. She glanced at her watch and shook her head, forcing a wan smile, "Not yet, sir."

"Edgar." He reminded before handing her three tanned dossiers. "If you don't mind looking at these for me."

She accepted the files and added them to the already growing tower she'd accumulated over the past four days and nodded, "Thank you...Edgar."

He nodded, pleased that she'd finally said his name despite the initial hesitation, "Take an hour."

"It's already three, Edgar." She pointed out.

"Then go home early and don't forget about tomorrow." He said.

Darcy nodded, "I'll have all of the errands done before lunch."

"Take the whole day for working so hard." He smiled and rapped on her desk before leaving.

She blinked and grinned, shoving her glasses higher on her nose when they slid down. She got to leave an hour early and take all day tomorrow to do errands away from her desk! This job certainly had some awesome perks, even if everyone kept dumping their work onto her and Edgar was a little lazy.

Shoving the piles of work into her bag, the only entertainment in an apartment that had no technology; the cost of being a responsible adult, Darcy slung the messenger bag over her shoulder and left.

Jane had tried telling her to make friends, citing her 'bitch face' as too intimidating but after reassuring her that one: it was her resting face, thank you very much and two: the legal department was comprised of assholes, she'd be better off alone.

She loved being alone, but hated the loneliness which meant she hung out at the library until dusk fell and she hurried home. Yes, she actually had to run home before darkness fell because one night, two days ago, some ass had tried mugging her in an alleyway. He'd gotten a knee to groin, a face full of pepper spray and a taser before she felt safe enough to leave him crumpled on the floor. The trembling had taken two hours to subside and three more before she could lift a cup of milk to her lips without spilling any.

Her co-workers were either politely reserved or outright hostile. Some had made it known that the only reason Edgar needed an assistant was to help him...how'd Sharon, one of the day receptionists, say? Oh right, 'help him alleviate his stress of working so hard and having three kids at home'. She'd been more than outraged and had some killer comebacks on the tip of her tongue but she needed the job. So her pride had taken a few jabs, and everyone in the department thought she was a hussy. She was smarter than all of them combined and she'd prove it to them by kicking ass at her job.

Stepping from the Tower, the midday sun blinded Darcy for a few brief seconds and she had to shield her eyes before the pain receded. Having glasses was a bane for her during the summer months because let's face it, transition glasses were a no-no and she always lost her prescription sunglasses. Not that she could afford to buy a new pair anyway.

Deciding it was much too nice a day to stay cooped up at the stuffy library, Darcy made her way to a park nearby a few blocks away. She hadn't planned on an impromptu picnic, otherwise she'd have packed two juice boxes instead of one and a water bottle but just as well.

The sounds of laughter both adult and children surrounded her the closer the park grew. She slipped off her black scuffed two inch heels and let the grass tickle her bare feet as she walked through the lush park.

Jane could never understand why Darcy always walked around on the grass barefoot and sure, she was afraid of stepping on used condoms as the next person, but since she didn't have many things that made her happy these days, she was going to grasp life's little pleasures as often as she could.

It was difficult to walk on uneven ground wearing a tight pencil skirt and peach chiffon blouse tucked into the waistband. She glanced around making sure no one was looking before she tugged the blouse from her skirt and released a content sigh. At least now she felt a little more comfortable.

She found a spot near an oak tree, its long arms battling the sun creating a haven of shade from the heat. Thankfully lunch hour had been over for a few hours and the park was empty except for parents with their kids on their way home. Darcy studied the ground and tried to formulate a plan to tackle how to sit in a tight and unforgiving skirt without looking like a fish flopping around.

Darcy lowered her bag on the ground and let her shoes fall, deciding the best attack would to start by kneeling. She kneeled, wincing the entire time as the fabric of her skirt stretched but thank Thor it didn't rip.

She smiled triumphantly, about to pat herself on the shoulder when a throat cleared, "Here." A softly hesitant voice sounded behind her.

Her eyes flew up to the newcomer and she swallowed nervously. She knew she had a thing for brooding men with long hair but shit, she almost pinched herself staring up at the man towering over her.

"Are you going to take it or keep staring?" He asked annoyed and it was then that Darcy realised he was holding out a black leather jacket in his right hand.

A brow quirked, "For what?" She asked wondering if she had enough time to grab her taser out of her bag beside her. Darcy Lewis was nothing, if not overly cautious. Even if the stranger was handsome.

He let out a long and tortuous sigh, lowering himself to a crouch beside her to drape his coat on the grass. She noticed he made sure not to touch her, despite the heat she could feel radiating from him, he left a good foot or two between them.

"Am I supposed to sit?" She asked with a smirk.

The man reached behind and tightened his small ponytail, a few black strands falling free framing his face. The mahogany locks didn't quite reach his shoulders, not like the way Thor's did and she almost snorted at the image of Thor with a ponytail. Maybe she could talk him into wearing one of her pink scrunchies too.

"I don't think you'd be as obedient." He said dryly as she settled on the edge of the inside of his leather jacket.

"As a dog?" She scoffed and patted the space beside her, "There's room." She offered.

He glanced at the spot but shook his head, he'd already made enough mistakes, "No, it's okay." He said quietly and sat on the grass beside the jacket.

She sighed but opened her bag, pulling out her lunch as she peeked at him in her peripherals. He was wearing black slacks, boots and a t-shirt that stretched across his chest. If wearing all black wasn't bad enough in the summer heat, he had a black windbreaker on and a pair of leather gloves on both hands. She was tempted to start fanning him because if she was sweating just looking at him, he must be dying.

Darcy ignored him as she unpacked her lunch, setting it out on her thighs, her legs outstretched before her. "Who wears two jackets in the summer?" She commented dividing her rations.

There was a long pause before the man beside her answered, "Are you complaining when you should be thanking me?" Despite the dry and disinterested tone, she almost could hear amusement. _Almost. _

"Thank you for letting me sit on your jacket." She said automatically, smirking when a snort sounded beside her. "This is where you say 'you're welcome'."

He glanced at her and shrugged, watching intently as she began placing food in front of him, "I'm not really known for my manners."

She glanced at him and sighed, sliding her unopened water bottle before him. He looked like he could use it more than her, even if she was parched. "Eat." She motioned to the food and began to nibble on a cracker. She'd have to eat slow since this was both her lunch and dinner tonight. But she'd survived eating only ramen in university, she could survive on half an apple, half a sandwich, and a few crackers.

She felt him study her and forced herself to eat mechanically until she felt, more than heard, him sigh and hesitantly reach for a cracker with a gloved hand. Darcy waited until he ate his fourth cracker when she decided she was going to befriend him, even if he didn't know it yet.

"You know you can take your gloves off, right?" She asked taking a sip of her mango peach juice.

He shrugged, "Don't reckon I want to."

She rolled her eyes, "You know," she said turning to scrutinise him, "you've got the whole brooding poet thing going, the gloves just make you look—" She stopped realising she'd almost stepped into that one willingly.

He quirked a brow, a smirk playing along his sardonic lips, "Like what?"

Darcy rolled her eyes, "We both know what I was going to say but I didn't mean it like that."

"What are you talking about?" He asked innocently, blinking wide.

She did a double-take and frowned; her new strange friend was good. Better than she'd given him credit for. Before, he'd been aloof, his blue eyes cold and lips tight; he'd sounded like he didn't want to talk to her even if he'd been the first one to approach. But now, he looked innocent, the coldness leaving mirth behind in its wake and damn if she was a sucker for it.

It was one of the main reasons why she always let Thor eat her S'mores pop-tarts. And she didn't even let Jane near them. Darcy sighed, "You look hot." She mumbled rolling her eyes when his eyes flashed triumphantly, "But I didn't mean it like that."

He shrugged, "It's okay to admit you think I'm hot; I know I am."

Darcy covered a laugh with a cough, "Smooth."

"I know." He said automatically about to reach for the water when he froze, the playful smirk falling to leave his face back to its cold and shuttered mask as before.

What was wrong now? Her friend was _sensitive_ but she figured if she was sitting on his expensive leather jacket and yes, she checked the label, that no doubt had grass stains now, she could at least try being delicate.

"I didn't use it, if you're worried about germs." Who was still afraid of cooties at that age? He couldn't be more than thirty because what thirty-something year old still had a ponytail?

She sighed and reached for the water, ignoring the way he pulled away slightly, tension radiating from him. She'd babysat an abused kid once and it'd broken her heart and hand after she'd punched the dad in the face a few times and her new friend reminded her of the kid.

Darcy slowly lifted the water and waited for him to grab it, "Go ahead. The seal is still on." She said gently.

His eyes flickered over her face before he reached over and grabbed it from her, breaking the seal with his right hand. She looked away to allow him privacy to drink the water as she dusted off her lap, the food long gone.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a dossier, flipping it open with a sigh. "Homework?" He asked pulling her from her concentrated reverie.

Darcy shrugged, "New job, you know how it is." He studied her, waiting for her to explain. She sighed, "My job is cool but...I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything but everyone gives me a lot of work." She laughed, shaking her head, "I sound ridiculous."

"How much?" He asked seriously.

"Enough that I'm starting to think everyone doesn't really do their job and now by boss wants me to look over a very important task that technically I'm not qualified to do." She explained wishing she could feel bad for laying her problems at her new friend's feet.

"And that's going to stop you?" He asked, curiosity lacing his words.

She glanced at him with a sardonic smirk, "Of course not, I'm just going to prove to all of them that I'm better than they are at doing they're own job." He nodded satisfied with her answer and Darcy didn't even want to think why she felt a thrill that this stranger's opinion mattered when it shouldn't have.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, tapping it against his palm, "You want one?" He offered placing one in his mouth.

Her eyes narrowed but she shook her head, "No thanks." She heard him striking a match and she glanced at him, "Aren't you going to ask if I mind?"

He shrugged and inhaled, "Didn't intend to."

Darcy tried. Really she did; after all, she didn't normally go around pestering smokers about the habit. But she decided that he was going to be her friend, even if he didn't like it.

Forgetting how scary he'd looked when she first met him; his blue eyes dark with cruelty, Darcy reached over and plucked the cigarette from his mouth and ripped it in half. "I'm sorry, but I just can't let you do that to your body. At least not around me." She placed it on the ground beside the coat and dusted her hands off.

He blinked, his mouth still slightly agape, "Did you just—"

She nodded, "Sorry but you can get lung cancer or throat cancer…just really bad things can happen to you and you already look maudlin enough as it is." She lectured.

His brow furrowed, "I'm not too worried about dying by cancer." He smirked.

Darcy rolled her eyes, "You're so weird."

"You are too."

"I know." She grinned before staring at him seriously, "But you should really think about quitting." She said turning her attention to the file open on her thighs.

Not bothering to ask if he needed to leave, she read through the first charity and their cause. Why was Edgar now overseeing what charities received money from Stark Industries? She made a mental note to ask him about it on Monday.

Much later, longer than she'd care to admit, Darcy closed the files in her lap and blinked the soreness from her eyes. All she wanted to do was yawn and rub the exhaustion from her eyes but that'd have to wait since she had no intentions of smearing her makeup.

She glanced over at her friend and found him scowling at the book in his lap. She began to pack the files back into her work, "Sorry about kidnapping you away from your afternoon." Darcy peeked at her watch and winced; she'd spent three hours sitting beside him, lost in her work.

"It's okay." He shrugged watching her shove papers in her bag, "Finally got leeway into my book."

She saw the title and winced, "You're willingly reading that? It's a thousand page manifesto about capitalism."

He smirked, "I take it you're not a fan?"

Darcy raised her hands in the air innocently before zipping her bag closed, "That book gave me two As in my final year at university."

He cocked his head, "Really?"

She nodded, "Apparently my professors weren't fans either."

Darcy slipped on her heels and pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the wrinkles in her blouse. She lifted his jacket and dusted the grass and dirt from it before handing it to him. He accepted it from her with a quiet thanks and shrugged it on, "It was nice to meet you."

She smiled brightly, pushing the glasses higher on her nose as she swung her bag over her shoulder, "You too! And thanks for lending me your jacket."

He nodded and watched as she walked away, before his impulse got the better of him and called after her, "Hey Darcy?"

She whirled around, "Yeah?"

"Show 'em what you're made of!" He called, smirking when her smile grew wider and she waved before turning back and heading towards the station. He waited until he saw Barton step away from a building, trailing after her before he left.

Darcy smiled brightly, jogging down the stairs of the subway station when a thought hit her, freezing her in the middle of the stairwell, people cursing and muttering as they moved around her. Her smile fell and she glanced behind her nervously before blending back into the crowd. Her fingers itched for her taser in comfort because how in the hell had he'd known her name when she'd never even told him?

0000000000000

Natasha waited until Barnes stepped onto Steve's floor before stepping from the shadows and launching her attack. He'd been prepared for her and she'd have a bruise on her ribs and face tomorrow but she'd landed a few kicks before he'd cursed and pulled away, leaving a few feet between them. "What the hell?" He snapped.

She gritted her teeth, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, "You were told not to make contact, Barnes. Did you get sloppy since switching sides?"

Bucky clenched his jaw, pulling his hair free of the ponytail so he could run a frustrated hand through the tangled mess, "Not now, Nat."

She rolled her eyes and stalked after him, catching the leather jacket he threw at her head, "It's a simple job, Barnes. Why'd you fuck it up?"

He growled and keyed open the door to his apartment on Steve's floor, "Get out." He bit out.

She rolled her eyes and slung his jacket on the couch, "You know that voice doesn't work on me."

Bucky went to the fridge and pulled out a beer, cracking it open and chugging half of it in one gulp before sauntering back into the den, "Tell me why we're wasting resources on surveillance for her?"

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest and studied him, "Because Thor's worried about her."

"Don't give me that bull. I'm not Thor or Steve so don't even try." He sneered.

"Someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" She taunted.

He finished his beer, slamming it on the coffee table before ripping the leather gloves off his hands, "She's nice."

Natasha blinked, she'd been expecting a plethora of reasons why Barnes went against his orders but none of them were that. "Nice." She deadpanned.

Barnes nodded, "She split her shitty lunch with me even though her stomach growled for the rest of the afternoon." He snorted in amusement, "What do you even plan on doing with her?"

"It's not for you to decide and in the future, I trust you won't be fucking up?" She stood up and returned the glare he shot her. Barnes was always grumpy with a hair trigger for a few days after a mission but he was an Avenger now, he'd have to deal with the constant poking and prodding.

"Get out." He sighed.

"That's what I get for asking men to do a woman's job." She muttered as she left his quarters, passing Steve on her way to the elevator.

His eyes flickered to the corner of her lip briefly, "Natasha."

She nodded at him, "Steve."

"I take it your chat with Bucky went well?" He asked dryly.

She smirked before it fell from her lips. The elevator dinged and she stepped in, calling after him, "Steve?"

He glanced over his shoulder, "Yeah?"

"Get your sketchbook before you see him." She said as the elevator closed.

Steve shook his head; Natasha was a constant enigma. She was always on the margins of any and all gatherings but she was the first to notice if something was wrong and she'd always cover her concern with orders.

He smirked and entered his apartment, hating the quiet whirl of the electrical door locking behind him. He'd gotten Tony's help in stripping as much technology as he could from the apartment and though he still hated living in the Tower, now that Bucky was back, it was his home now.  
Grabbing his sketchbook and pencils, Steve went to Bucky's apartment, knocking on the door and waited patiently for his friend to open the door.

Bucky ripped the door open, "Not now, Steve." He growled but didn't slam the door in his face which he took as a sign that despite his friend's mood, he wanted company.

"Have a good day?" Steve asked pleasantly settling himself on the couch.

Bucky scoffed, "I don't know what's worse; killing someone or spying on someone nice."

Steve's eyes flew to his friend's face as he passed him a can of beer and he thanked him, "Bucky—"

His friend waved the concern away and sat on the opposite end of the couch, toeing off his boots, "You know how I feel about your wayward guilt, Steve."

"I can shove it up my ass, if I recall you saying." Steve smirked and popped the can.

There was a long pause before Bucky sighed and reached into his jacket pulling out a packet of cigarettes. He scowled at the packet in his mechanical left hand before crumpling it into a ball. "Thor's gal is something, man."

Steve frowned watching Bucky throw the crumpled packet of cigarettes across the room in a bin by the television. He'd been on Bucky's case for a while now; what had made his friend finally want to give up the habit?

He settled back into the couch; maybe the reason he felt so terrible these past few days wasn't because of his concern for Thor but annoyance that Thor was leading two dames around. One that wore cherry red lipstick just like Peggy did. He sighed and flipped open his sketchbook, both of them content to let the silence ease their worries, at least for a little while.


	4. down all the way

_I own nothing recognisable. Thank you for all of the subscriptions, reviews (you guys are awesome!) and general interest in the story. Please enjoy..._

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**down all the way**

* * *

Clint scowled as he watched his mark study yet another abandoned building before scribbling something furiously in her blue notebook. He glanced at his watch from his perch across the street; she'd spent three hours walking around the entire city looking at buildings and writing things down.

In the beginning of the three hours, she'd went to affluent charities but as the time passed, so too did affluence of the locations until even he started being worried about the addresses. Clint had even broken his rule about keeping a safe distance and had either made sure to be standing a few feet from her or across the street. He didn't want to imagine what Thor would do to him if he'd let his woman get hurt. Oh, he could handle Natasha but the alien god? Fuck no.

He pulled out his Starkphone and hit a number, his eyes still glued to the woman across the street, "Yes?" Natasha asked

She began walking down the street again and he followed, "Is there a reason why our mark is casing out joints?" He asked.

On the other end of the call, Natasha lithely stood from her couch with a concentrated frown. She dropped the case file on her coffee table and went to the kitchen, "Explain." She said quietly.

"The mark spent all afternoon checking out charities and now she's checking out abandoned offices." Clint explained.

Natasha emptied her cold mug of coffee in the sink before rinsing it, "What'd she do this morning?"

He snorted, "Did errands and got dry cleaning for her boss."

She frowned, "That's all?"

"No." There was a pause before he continued, "It seems the Stark's legal department has her doing all of their errands too."

"She's their assistant." Natasha reminded him wondering why she suddenly felt the need to pay the legal department a visit.

"I know that, Tash. It's just...it's bothersome." He confessed.

Recognising his tone, Natasha shook her head though he couldn't see her, "Clint. Don't get involved."

"She doesn't even seem to mind being everyone's-"

"If you say bitch, I'm going to ask Barnes to switch partners so you and I can spar tomorrow." She commented airily.

He swallowed, "Tash."

She grinned viciously, "We're doing simple recon and that's all."

Clint snorted over the phone, "I heard Barnes is trying to quit smoking."

"You joining the pool?" She asked curiously.

The entire team had grown more curious over Thor's woman after learning about Barnes' sudden desire to quit smoking and even Natasha's stance on keeping a distance was weakening under the curiosity.

"Tash, I _am_ the pool." He scoffed, "You want in?"

She smirked knowing no one could see it, "I already have forty in."

He made a noise, "I'll keep you updated before shift change." He hung up.

Oblivious to having a tail, Darcy stepped into the air conditioned grocery store and sighed contentedly. Her dark teal summer dress may look professional casual but damn did it attract the sun's rays.

Grabbing a dark green grocery basket, she slid it over her arm and pulled out her grocery list. She'd spent the entire day doing stupid errands for her stupid co-workers but finally, she'd finished and since it was Friday, she did what so many singles did and decided to go grocery shopping.

First on her list: pop-tarts. She went immediately to her favourite aisle and perused the offerings. Even with the limited edition flavours, she always had two boxes of S'mores pop-tarts as back-up. She grabbed an extra one on impulse when Thor's sheepish grin flashed in her mind.

She remembered one time back in New Mexico, she'd made the stupid mistake of leaving him in the trailer for an hour to help Jane transcribe some things. Only to come back with all of her secret stash of S'more pop-tarts eaten and the toaster smashed by Meow Meow. Oh, excuse me, mjolnir. Thor was still kind of sensitive about her calling his hammer Meow Meow. She grinned to herself wishing she could share her euphemisms and brilliance with Jane.

She sighed dejectedly, reminding herself that yes, she was still very and irrevocably alone. She sauntered through the aisles, only getting the bare essentials but soon found herself staring at pasta sauces pondering how ten different flavours from one company could all sound so tantalising. "Surely you can't all be that different. Tomato sauce is tomato sauce." She muttered to herself.

Deciding life was too short to waste on tomatoes, she grabbed a jar of vodka sauce and a jar of alfredo in each hand, "If you mix them together, they taste even better." A husky voice drawled.

Darcy clenched the jars to her chest, about to throw one at the voice instinctively and when her eyes settled on the stranger, she was still tempted to throw it. Was there a sign on her forehead asking for strange men to talk to her? Not that she should complain, especially with the biceps she could see straightening under his navy blue jacket and grey eyes welcoming, if not a little calculating.

But she'd spent all last night crying, both out of self-pity and re-reading her favourite romance book which meant she'd gone with no make-up today and puffy eyes. Not exactly Miss America material. And with the weird encounter she had with the brooding stranger yesterday, she wasn't feeling too friendly at the moment. "Then doesn't it become a rosé sauce?"

He smirked and stepped beside her, ignoring the way she subtly withdrew away from him, "Rosé sauces are the best though."

Darcy studied him quickly before placing both jars back on the shelf. His face was weathered with a frown but when he caught her looking, a grin softened the hardness and his mossy blue eyes brightened. But she wasn't going to fall for another handsome puppy routine like yesterday because she was still really freaked out about it all. So instead, she decided the best defence was offence...or however the adage went.

"Do you know what my name is?" She asked suddenly, moving to his side of the aisle so the woman with her kids in tow could manoeuvre past them.

He blinked, a smirk playing his lips, "Should I?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, you tell me."

He chuckled before stopping abruptly, a frown settling between his brows as though he was annoyed and surprised by the sound. Darcy rolled her eyes and plucked a roasted garlic tomato sauce from the shelf and added it to her grocery basket, "All right, I do." He said seriously.

There was a long pause where Darcy slowly turned to him, her fist at the ready with a quirked brow, "Tread carefully, buddy." She warned.

He glanced at her fist by her side, "You going to use that?"

"Should I?" She retorted trying not to smirk.

He returned her hesitant smirk and reached forward ignoring the way she stepped further away from him, somehow bothered by that, to grab two jars of the same pasta sauce she'd added to her cart. "I'm not going to bite." He teased.

She shook her head, "You say you know my name, sparky. Consider me very suspicious."

"Poppy, right?" He nodded to her.

Darcy blinked, "You think I look like a Poppy?"

"Better than a Fanny." He said dryly.

"Well, Dalton, it's very nice to meet you." She grinned at his aghast face.

"Dalton? You think I look like a Dalton? At least Poppy's a nice name." Dalton grumbled.

Darcy grinned, "If you think I'm Poppy, then you're Dalton."

"And to think I was going to ask if you wanted to be my grocery shopping partner." He huffed and left the aisle.

"Dalton! Don't be like that." She called before grabbing a jar of vodka sauce and another of alfredo and added it to her cart. She'd wanted to play it cool but a rosé sauce sounded amazing, not that she'd tell him that. She stalked after him and soon found him in the cracker aisle.

"What're you making?" She asked impatiently when he still hadn't budged. "How hard is it to pick crackers out?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her before turning back to the two boxes in his hands, "Poppy, patience." He tsked at her.

Darcy rolled her eyes and stepped beside him. "This one," she pointed to the green and brown box, "is going to taste healthy. And that one," she pointed to the blue and white box, "is delicious because they're butter crackers and though you'll probably have a heart attack if you eat them everyday, trust me on this, they're worth it."

"You've had a heart attack?" He asked seriously, the boxes forgotten to study her. "Poppy?"

She rolled her eyes, "Calm your balls." He snorted back a laugh but still waited for her to explain, "Sometimes if I eat too much junk food, I can feel my heart...complain."

Dalton scoffed, "What?"

She shook her head, "Just know that you can't survive on butter crackers and pop-tarts alone." She said sagely and plucked the blue and white box of butter crackers from his hand to toss them in his grocery basket by his feet, "But don't worry, Dalton. You seem healthy enough."

Let it be known that Darcy was always snoopy. Oh, it had helped her in University and got her through the many sleepless nights with Jane and Erik so she didn't even try and be bashful when she looked through Dalton's grocery basket. She'd heard his indignant snort but she'd chosen to ignore it because Darcy was, above all else, an unapologetic snoop.

"Are you entertaining or something?" She asked ignoring his crossed arms, and holy shit his biceps were huge, and his quirked brow.

"You done?"

"Yup." She said unrepentantly.

Dalton scoffed, "Yes, it's my turn to make dinner for my roommates."

"Are your roommates going to like," she glanced inside the basket once more, "instant pasta sauce and crackers for dinner?"

"It's Friday night, of course they will." He said automatically.

She rolled her eyes, "Okay, we'll need a cart for this, I think." She grabbed the box of healthy crackers from his hand and returned them to their home on the shelf and grabbed two boxes of crostini crackers instead. "Follow me." She ordered and left the aisle.

What followed was a dizzying hour for Barton but still thrilling. Darcy, or Poppy, had exchanged his basket for a cart and began to wheel it around the large supermarket, throwing things he'd never even seen before in it. What the hell was boccaccini? And dear god, she'd started to talk about meringues and he'd almost lost it right then and there. But she meant well and damned if he didn't feel oddly pleased that she was trying to help him.

He'd been so worried when he had first made contact at her suspicious cautiousness. He had almost cursed Barnes right then and there and when she'd demanded if he knew her name, he'd almost panicked. _Almost._ But he was too experienced to falter and she hadn't noticed his sigh of relief when her suspicion had been averted. He felt a little bad for lying to her and how fucked up was that?

"Okay, so you've got appetizers and dessert done. Do you think you can handle making a salad on top of lasagne?" Darcy asked rolling the cart to the vegetable section with Dalton following beside her.

He shrugged, "Poppy, I think I'm already doomed."

Darcy shook her head and added two bags of prepared salad bags to the cart, "How about I write the instructions down for you? C'mon, you'll blow your roommates away and they may even take a few dollars off your rent!"

He grinned, "I hope you're right."

She returned the grin, "I know I'm right."

She let Dalton take the cart from her and thanked him when he handed her the grocery basket as they went to separate checkout tills. As she chatted with the cashier, Darcy realised New York wasn't so bad after all. Not when everyone was so friendly, albeit a little creepy a la Mr Leather Brooding dude from yesterday.

Darcy paid, grimacing when she grabbed the three bags of groceries and met Dalton by the doors, "You okay?" He asked.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "Groceries are so damn expensive I'm tempted to give up eating altogether."

He snorted and pushed the cart with his bagged groceries through the sliding doors, "I think the same thing with cooking."

Darcy grinned and motioned to a bench a few feet away, "Let's sit there while I write the instructions out for you."

They walked alongside each other to the bench where Darcy fell onto the unforgiving wooden surface and rummaged through her bag to pull out a blue notebook and green pen. She furiously scribbled, shoving her glasses higher on her nose when they started to slip.

Clint caught himself grinning the way she scrunched up her nose in concentration and scowled instead. He'd clearly underestimated her and despite knowing he should grab his groceries and blend back into the shadows, he found himself unwilling. If Tasha found out, his ass would be dead.

"What about you? Don't you have any plans?" He asked suddenly, surprised that he couldn't leave well enough alone.

She shrugged, her concentration still glued to the notebook, "Gorge on pasta until I feel guilty."

"What about your friends? Boyfriend?" He asked innocently, blinking at her when she glanced up with a quirked brow.

"Sorry, sparky. This treat," she motioned to herself, "is limited edition."

He snorted back a chuckle, "Is that a fancy way of saying you're shit single?"

She finished scribbling and tore out the papers, folding it three times before holding it out to him. "My friend is on vacation."

He took the note from her and nodded his thanks, sliding it into his back pocket without looking away, "Don't you have friends here?"

Darcy looked away, a curious tiny spark humming in the back of her mind when she realised he wasn't just being polite, Dalton looked a little concerned. "Damn, Dalton. I didn't know you cared." She teased.

He rolled his eyes about to retort when he felt his phone vibrate and pulled it from his jacket pocket. She watched his face shutter when he checked the screen, and damn it, he had a Starkphone too! She knew they were more popular than the other brand names but wow, she didn't know people in New York were so loyal to Stark Industries.

She frowned wanting to ask if he were alright but he was already shoving his phone back and pulling his bags from the cart, "I gotta run. You'll be okay with carrying those?" He asked.

She glanced down at the bags in her hands and nodded, "Good luck tonight!"

"Be safe!" He called.

Darcy waved her hand and watched him disappear past the corner of the grocery store; the smile falling from her face. Her shoulders slumped and she shuffled away from the entrance with a sigh.

She hadn't been outright honest with him, not that she would with a complete stranger, but she hadn't mentioned having a friend here. She knew Thor would gladly hang out with her, even if he was an Avenger and probably had shit to avenge or something. She just felt weird about bugging him. It was like that time in grade four when her old friend Cassandra had ditched her for the new kids.

Darcy rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone to hit the number five and waited. She was terribly lonely but if she could do something about it, then maybe the depression she felt licking at the back of her heels would be staved.

"Lady Darcy!"

She winced at the joyous bellow, moving the mobile to her other ear, "Hey, dude."

"Are you in need of me?" He asked pleased that she'd phoned him.

Darcy strained her ears when she heard a snort and someone muttering his name, "Are you busy?"

"Nay, not for you Lady Darcy! I was sparring with my shield brothers." He explained.

She nodded gathering her resolve, "Want to have dinner with me?" Darcy prepared herself for shouts or more bellows but instead, all she heard was a long pause and she began to worry if he was too busy to have dinner with an old friend.

"Lady Darcy, you humble me with this request." He boomed a full minute later.

Her plum lips broke into a wide smile, "Really? Okay, sweet. I've just finished my errands so I can meet you at the restaurant?"

"Will you not prefer having an escort? I will ask the Man of Iron for—" He started.

She shook her head regardless that he couldn't see her, "Nah, bud, it's okay. Really. Do you have a pen on you? I can write you the address and you can get a taxi to drop you off."

"Nay but the Voice is ready." He replied, "Voice!" He demanded.

She heard an accented voice speak to him and she smirked. Darcy rattled off the address to her favourite dinner she'd visited a few times when she'd first moved to New York. It was affordable, the portion size was enough to make a hobbit squeal with glee and the crowd wouldn't care if there was a blond god in their midst.

"Clothing? Why do you ask me such things?" Thor demanded.

Darcy blinked before letting out a snicker, "What are you talking about?"

He made a noise, "My apologies, Lady Darcy but Captain, one of my shield brothers is reminding me that I cannot attend tonight's feast in my Asgardian garb."

"Clothing." A voice furiously whispered in the background.

"Ah, clothing." Thor added sounding more harried than that one time when Erik and Jane had almost tied him down to interrogate him after they'd caught Thor and her doodling on the wrong whiteboard.

She snickered, "No worries, buddy. It's just a local diner, so whatever you were wearing when I last saw you is good. Is an hour enough time for you?"

"I look forward to our feast!" He shouted and she winced with a grin.

0000000000

Clint strolled into the common kitchen back at Avengers Tower, whistling under his breath. He lifted the six bags of groceries onto the counter and began unpacking them, aware of the new presence joining him.

"I see you made contact." Bucky drawled leaning against the doorway of the kitchen with his arms crossed.

Clint ignored him and pulled out the note from his back pocket, peeling it open. He grinned when he read her messy scrawl at the bottom of the instructions, his thumb brushing the name she'd signed it with. _Poppy._

Bucky sighed shoving a hand through his hair as he watched Clint try and wrestle a small smile from his face, "What's wrong with your face?" He pushed away from the doorway.

Clint flipped him the finger and cursed when Bucky ripped the papers from his hand. He'd been expecting that, he told himself as he glared at the other man. "Poppy?"

"You've fucked up, Barnes." He said dryly before turning around and unpacking the rest of the food for tonight's dinner.

Bucky pulled out a chair and flipped it around, sitting down as he rested his arms on the back, still fingering the note, "Nat tell you?"

He snorted, "You said her name."

Bucky glanced up at Clint, "And?" He asked unrepentant.

"She's suspicious, idiot. She started demanding if I knew her name." He smirked and plucked the note from Bucky's metal hand.

"And Poppy came from?" Bucky smirked watching Clint move around the kitchen effortlessly.

"She named me Dalton."

He heard Clint mutter and shouted with laughter, "I like this woman."

Clint flipped him the finger over his shoulder, hiding his grin, "She's not Thor's."

Bucky narrowed his eyes at Clint's back, "Explain."

"I guess they're just friends." Clint shrugged.

"Guess she still counts as his." Bucky scratched his jaw, "I wouldn't tell the friendly giant otherwise."

Clint smirked, "Are you going to help or sit on your ass all night?"

Bucky sighed but stood up and scowled at a container on the counter, "What the hell is boccaccini?"


	5. the loneliness is calling and

_I am but a student that owns nothing and crazy to write this during finals. THANK YOU for your interest in the story (and for Amy and your kind words), please enjoy..._

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**the loneliness is calling and**

* * *

Steve walked into the kitchen and froze debating if he walked backwards and pretending he hadn't seen anything, he could erase the image from his mind. But then Bucky smiled, a smile he hadn't been the recipient of in such a long while, his gut twisted. So he straightened his shoulders and stepped into the kitchen because he was nothing but Steve Rogers, no reason and no meaning other than fighting for freedom. And despite everything, he missed Bucky.

He forced the sigh away and tried to focus on the present, "What're you both doing?" He asked, still slightly bothered by seeing two assassins covered with food; Clint's cheek smeared with tomato sauce and Bucky's shirt with what looked like jam. People quaked in fear when they saw Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier but little did they know they looked like five year olds bickering in the kitchen, Steve thought with a quiet sigh.

Bucky glanced over his shoulder at his friend, holding a spatula in one hand and a whisk in the other, "Making dinner, what does it look like?"

Clint snorted, "Suit up, Captain. We still have the salad and appetisers to make."

Steve hesitantly stepped towards them, amazed at the empty sink, "Where are all the dirty dishes?" He asked Clint who was the notoriously dirty one in the group.

"I was told to 'clean as I go'." He repeated.

Bucky scoffed, "You're following her orders more than Coulson's."

"Her?" Steve asked as he stepped between them.

Clint pointed to a note taped to the cupboard in front of them above the counter, "Her instructions."

Steve glanced at the messy scrawl and memorised the instructions for the salad, "Thor's woman." Bucky explained.

"Friend." Clint corrected automatically.

"You've both made contact?" He asked glancing at both of them, "Did Natasha—"

Clint scoffed, "I bet you anything she's making contact with Lewis right now."

000000000000

"Why do you prevent me from entering? What is this madness?" A disgruntled voice boomed from the front of the diner.

Darcy glanced up with a huge grin and waved hoping Thor would see her, "Lady Darcy!" he shouted and waved before turning back to the woman barring him from entering with a scowl.

"It's okay, he's with me." Darcy said as she neared them. She reached over and grabbed Thor's arm.

"Why does that tiny woman bar me from this establishment?" Thor demanded.

She grinned, glad she'd picked the this diner because despite Thor's booming voice, everyone ignored them too busy with their own affairs.

"She's the hostess, Thor. It's her job to seat people though I think she was more interested in wanting to get your phone number than anything else." Darcy said dryly and motioned to her booth sequestered in the corner of the restaurant.

Thor glanced behind them as Darcy pulled him along, "Is this a midgardian custom? I like this custom though I fear my Jane may not."

Darcy grinned, "Don't even think about it, buddy. Jane will have my head if I let others paw at you."

Thor smiled sheepishly and motioned for Darcy to slide into the booth first before squeezing in opposite her, "I am pleased you have called me for a feast tonight, Lady Darcy."

She slid the menu over to him, ridiculously amused that Thor was wearing the same jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing when she first saw him a few days back in Avengers Tower. When she'd spoken to him over the phone and told him his clothes from last time were good for the occasion, she certainly hadn't meant for him to take it literal, though knowing this was Thor, should she really be surprised?

Darcy hid her silly grin; he was cuter than a puppy though she'd never tell him that, "You weren't busy…avenging things?"

He shook his head, "Nay but I will be soon."

Darcy lowered her menu and reached over patting his hand, "You'll be careful, right? For me?"

Thor smiled but nodded firmly, "You have my word."

She looked away, unable to hold his tender blue gaze any longer lest she get too teary-eyed. And there was nothing more embarrassing then getting all sniffly in public with Thor. She still cringed thinking back to the Hormone Incident of the Cheesecake Factory back in New Mexico.

Darcy hummed, flipping through the menu until she felt Thor's gaze and lowered the menu again, "Yes?" She asked self-consciously when he still hadn't blinked.

He reached into his pocket, or tried to since the booth was quite small and he looked ready to burst, "Alas, the Man of Iron assured me this would work." He said letting out a relieved sigh and placed something on the table between them.

She leaned in, wanting to touch it but asked for permission first. He nodded and she gently grasped it, "Is this a kid's watch?" She asked realising Tony Stark had a sense of humour if he'd given Thor a kid's watch. Especially an official Iron Man merchandise watch.

"Didn't they have a Thor one?" She asked amusedly.

Thor sighed, "He promised me it was in jest though I am not particularly amused. I knew you would prefer my likeness over his."

Darcy grinned at Thor's grumbles, "It's cool, bud. I'll just pretend its you, okay?"

He nodded with a grin, "Thank you, Lady Darcy."

"What's this?" She asked about to push the small, almost indiscernible button on the side when Thor reached over and covered her hands with one of his with a shout.

"Nay, Lady Darcy!" He tugged the watch from her and motioned for her left wrist, "Only when you are in grave danger."

"Is this the Avengers bat-signal?" Darcy whispered excitedly as Thor secured the watch around her wrist.

"Since I am needed elsewhere, I will not be able to come to your aid but if you are in danger, the others will come when it is pressed." Thor promised.

Darcy blinked, "…All of them? Even Captain America and Black Widow?"

He nodded, "They will answer your need."

She stared at the watch with reverence, "I have Black Widow at my fingertips."

Thor tapped her hand, "Only when you are in need, Lady Darcy." He reminded.

Darcy grinned and tugged her hand free to admire her watch, "Yeah, I got it, buddy. The Avengers don't do house calls or come for snacks."

Thor snorted, "Lady Darcy, if I recall you woke me one eve to help you paint your nails."

"And I don't regret it, dude. Just remember what I said—"

"If the Avengers will not have me, I can work at a salon." He recited from memory.

She nodded, "And don't you forget it."

When the waitress sauntered over, Darcy hid a laugh by coughing when the waitress' eyes continued to widen until she sputtered when still, Darcy kept listing the many dishes for her and Thor. Content that the vast dishes she ordered would suffice for both of them, Darcy turned to find Thor smiling at her, "I have missed our times together, Lady Darcy."

She grinned, "Me too, bud."

Darcy began to ask hesitant questions about his new life, making sure to keep the questions vague so Thor wouldn't think she was too nosy; not that he'd ever think that. One time he'd found her fumbling with his armour trying to see if it'd fit her and instead of lecturing her like Jane and Phil had, well…Phil had sighed which was pretty much the same thing, he had begun to help her. She didn't fill out the armour as nice as Thor but she still had some killer photos of how good she looked wearing that cape.

She listened raptly, her laughter blending with his and when it took three waiters to come serve the food, Darcy didn't even bother to care or feel self-conscious when other patrons glanced their way. Because she was with Thor having a blast and that's all that mattered in that moment.

Darcy ate with relish, trying yet again, even though she knew from the many times before, to eat Thor under the table. It was impossible and she was rewarded with a stich in her side but Thor enjoyed her efforts and kept throwing her goofy grins every so often.

"I'm done. I forfeit." She pushed away her plate and rubbed her stomach.

Thor chuckled, "Your attempts were admirable, Lady Darcy."

She snorted and groaned, "I've made a terrible mistake. Regret…I have so much regret." She muttered under her breath. Darcy pushed her mid-back shoulder length hair over her shoulder and muttered a curse when she caught sight of her clothed chest. "Damn."

"Lady Darcy?" Thor asked about to take a bite of his steak.

Darcy waved his concern away, "I'll be right back, I just need to use the bathroom." He nodded and struggled to slide back out of the booth but Darcy shoved him back down, "Sit. I won't even be gone five minutes." She promised. Thor watched her disappear down a hallway and into a door before he went back to happily devouring his meal.

Darcy sighed staring at the damage in the huge mirror in the dimly lit washroom, ignoring the sounds of the bathroom door swinging open. She reached over and pulled out a few sheets of paper towels from the slot in the wall and dampened it.

"Shitballs." Darcy cursed knowing if she cleaned the ketchup stain running down the middle of the fabric stretched over her chest, she'd have a wet stain on it but if she didn't, she'd have a ketchup stain.

"You can use this." A husky voice sounded from beside her.

Darcy glanced over and proceeded to gape. The smoky voice belonged to the most gorgeous woman Darcy had ever seen before and that's saying something because Jane was a real looker. With long curly red hair that brushed her shoulders that made Darcy want to shout in envy, sparkling grey eyes and a smile…"Shit."

The woman cocked her head with a grin, "What's wrong?" She asked.

That voice! Darcy thought with awe, if she thought her voice could get her free drinks at a bar, that woman's voice was a siren bringing men to their blissful end. "Huh?" She asked tongue-tied.

She wasn't a poet but hot damn, she suddenly wanted to wax verses about her beauty. Even though the woman's lip was split and she had a few bruises on her killer cheekbones, it in no way detracted from her beauty.

The woman shook her head with a chuckle and waved a white stick in the air, "This is for the stain." She explained and handed it to Darcy.

Darcy recognised the instant detergent stick and thanked the stranger profusely, "Thank you so much! I didn't want to use water since it'd leave a wet mark."

The woman leaned against the counter in skinny black jeans and an ivory blouse tucked in the waistband and crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Darcy fumble with the stick. "Need help?" She offered politely.

Darcy shook her head, "I got it, thanks." She dabbed at the stain and counted to twenty before reapplying the detergent stick on the fabric. "Are you okay?" She asked suddenly, still bothered by the woman's bruises. She had a taser and Thor with her; she could easily come to the other woman's help if it was needed.

"Hmm?" The woman asked with a quirked brow, her eyes flickering back to Darcy's face.

Darcy capped the pen and handed it back to the woman, "I'm sorry if this is too forward but…do you need me to take care of your boyfriend for you?" She asked quietly.

The woman studied Darcy and smiled briefly before wrestling it away, "He's big." She quipped.

Darcy shrugged, "I'm scarier."

She grinned and covered her laugh with a shake of her head, "I'm Natalie." She extended her hand.

"Darcy." She shook Natalie's hand with a grin.

"Do you really think you can take him?" Natalie asked curiously.

She shrugged, "I have many abilities at my disposal."

Natalie bit her lip before smiling, "Can you show me?"

Darcy nodded and dusted her hands, "I'll show you." She motioned for Natalie to approach her from behind, "Wrap your arm around my neck but don't worry, I won't hurt you."

"I know." Natalie said automatically and stepped behind Darcy, wrapping a slender but firm arm around Darcy's neck.

She panicked briefly but remembered if Natalie got too frisky, not that she would complain, she could bring the other woman down. "If your boyfriend tries hurting you again," Darcy fisted her right hand and tapped Natalie with her right elbow, "solar plexus." Darcy then lifted her left foot and nudged Natalie's foot, "Instep," she lifted her right hand and pretended to knock Natalie's nose, "nose and my favourite part: groin." Darcy said and feigned hitting Natalie in the crotch. "Sing."

Darcy tugged herself free and turned around with a grin, faltering when she found a concentrated scowl on Natalie's face, "Haven't you ever heard of 'sing' before?"

"I have not." She said before shaking the scowl from her face, "But thanks." She smiled politely.

"Dude, you've got to get yourself a date with _Ms Congeniality_." Darcy tsked.

Natalie cocked her head, "Who's she?"

Darcy smiled and shook her head, "Movie, Natalie. A really fantastic movie about kick-ass women."

"Ah." She said and stepped aside, "Well, thank you very much for this information."

"No problem." She glanced at her watch and winced, "I've got to go, my dinner partner is probably going to come bursting in at any moment."

Natalie smiled, "It was nice to meet you." She said as Darcy pulled the bathroom door open.

"Don't forget to watch the movie." Darcy grinned.

"Hey, Darcy?" Natalie called after her.

Darcy glanced over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

"Try the brownie fudge cheesecake."

"Seriously? That must be new. You should try their cherry chip cake." Darcy grinned and left the bathroom to go back to her feast with Thor.

Natasha watched Darcy leave with narrowed eyes as the smile fell from her face; cursing for a full minute in Russian. She'd wasted all evening and even broke her own damn rules because she was curious and now? Now she was fucking compromised because of some girl with sad eyes that was just too nice.

00000000000000000

Bruce strolled into the Tower's common room, his stomach growling at the spicy and yet delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. He was more than surprised considering it was Clint's night to cook and the last time the archer had tried…he shuddered. No, he still couldn't think about cream of mushroom soup without getting queasy and upsetting the Other Guy.

He felt Phil tense behind him at the growl and he sighed, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly. "Agent, don't offend Bruce. It's just his stomach." Tony explained behind Bruce walking alongside Agent Coulson. "Which reminds me, you need to eat more." He instructed poking Bruce's shoulder.

Phil cleared his throat unsure if it was wise poking Bruce, "Mr Stark—"

"Oh, what is that smell?" Tony demanded as he neared the kitchen. "Well shit." He muttered seeing the kitchen table set and colour him surprised that it was Barton's night to cook and the kitchen was still intact.

He went to the table and looked at each dish, sniffing suspiciously when he wasn't met with any foul odours but with mouth-watering scents instead, "Agent, I think we have a clone on our hands."

Phil's eyes flickered around the kitchen, "It would seem so." He murmured watching the archer place the wine glasses on the table.

Bucky swallowed and averted his gaze as he pretended to fuss over the salad, missing the slight tightening of Phil's lips. "Do you need any help?" Bruce asked glancing around the kitchen and realised the three men had it all under control.

Clint shook his head avoiding Phil's sharp gaze and the questions he was sure to find in them, "I think we're good."

"Who's Poppy?" Tony asked reading the scribbled papers taped haphazardly to the kitchen cupboards.

Steve glanced at Phil before deciding he wasn't going to open that can of worms, not when the Agent was scrutinising all of them, "Can you open that bottle of wine, Tony?" He asked instead.

Bucky shook his head, he knew Stark had been too quiet and reached over tugging the papers from the cupboards before Coulson could take a look at them, "Clint's friend."

"It seems there's a lot of that going around lately." Tony commented innocently as he scratched his chin.

Bruce chuckled, quickly covering it with a cough when Phil's intent gaze swung to him, "Can we sit? I'm starving."

Tony nodded and fell into a chair with an exhausted sigh, "That's what you get for skipping meals hunched over a microscope."

"You're the one who locked me in." Bruce shrugged.

Tony poured the wine in the glasses and waved at Phil still standing idly by the kitchen doorway, "Sit or leave, Agent but don't just stand there. Are you into voyeurism?" He asked leaning towards Phil.

Steve winced, "Tony."

"Do you mind?" Phil asked the room.

"Of course not, Agent Coulson. Sit, please." Steve motioned for a chair at the table.

Phil pulled a chair and sat beside Tony, letting Bruce sit on Tony's right, "Just be warned that you'll be eating at your own risk." Bruce mused.

Tony grinned, "I don't know…this _Poppy_ looked like she knew what she was doing. Did you see the four pages of instructions?"

Bucky glared at Tony and sat beside Steve, "Pass me the damn salad." He interrupted. If Phil found out they'd being spying on Thor's friend, he'd be too curious to let things go. And they'd screwed enough with Darcy to let Phil have a go with her.

Clint placed the sizzling lasagne on the table, ignoring Tony's teasing about wearing oven mitts, "Eat and shut up." He ordered.

Tony leaned in to study and squint at the lasagne, "Why's there a chunk missing?"

"Thor and Tasha." Clint replied, steel in his voice brooking no room for debate. Thor would be miserable if he knew he was missing his midgardian favourite: pasta and he wanted Tasha to taste his hard work. He wasn't above admitting he cared what she thought.

"Got it." Tony rolled his eyes, "Does Shield always train their agents to be so sensitive?" He asked Phil innocently.

Bucky frowned at Tony, "Stark."

"Yes, Bucks?" Tony grinned unrepentant at Bucky.

"Shut up and eat." He commanded.

Bruce rolled his eyes and began dishing the salad, "When's Pepper coming back?" He asked Tony wondering why he let the other man talk him into attending dinner. The tension between the Shield agents and Phil was so thick, he was starting to get itchy.

Tony's eyes flickered over Bruce's face and he cleared his throat knowing Bruce was losing his composure and fast, "Late tonight." He leered with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "I have so much planned."

"The lasagne is delicious, Clint." Phil commented.

"It should, Ms Melons gave Clint orders that even you'd be jealous of, Agent." Tony said knowing he'd rather have a few pissed off Shield agents after him then Bruce lose his cool. He'd finally gotten Bruce out of his quarters after his semi-meltdown in the lab three weeks ago, he was not going to let the tension undo his work.

"Tony." Steve scolded, his worried eyes flickering around the tense table.

"Ms Melons?" Phil asked Tony.

"Thor's chick." Tony grinned at Phil before remembering what Pepper kept telling him, "Or is it girlfriend? Girl? Partner? Damn all this PC stuff." He muttered over the rim of his wineglass.

"Ms Foster." Phil stated rather than asked.

Bucky glowered at all of them, stabbing at his salad; Clint throwing daggers at Tony for bringing Lewis up. "No, his other girl." Tony wiggled his eyebrows at Phil, ignoring the silent death threats.

"His friend." Bruce corrected nodding his silent thanks to Tony for cutting some of the tension; Tony nodded back solemnly before sliding a grin back onto his face.

"You know?" Bucky asked before remembering of course he knew, nobody gossiped and speculated more than the Avengers. He caught Clint's scowl and shook his head, "Never mind."

"I don't know why you thought she was his other girlfriend." Bruce commented. "This is Thor we're talking about. The same one that got offended and came to Pepper's defence when Tony joked about having a brothel on level five of the tower to relieve our stress."

"I still like that idea." Clint grumbled.

"Why didn't you?" Bucky frowned at Tony.

Steve rolled his eyes, "He's not going to put in a brothel, Bucky."

"Because have you seen Drape's arms? No thanks." Tony quipped.

Phil finished his lasagne and wiped his mouth on the cloth napkin before clearing his throat, "Where's Natasha?" He asked Bucky and Clint, already knowing the answer.

Steve added more lasagne to his own plate, "I think I'll go eat in my room." He said about to push away from the table.

"Sit." Tony ordered, "You don't want to miss the show." He said his eyes already straying back to Phil and Clint staring daggers at each other.

Clint sighed, "With Ms Lewis."

Phil blinked, the only reaction of him being shocked and leaned back in his chair, studying each of the Avengers present, "I think it's time you tell me everything."


	6. I'll go to it

_Status: Own nothing, still crazy. Thank you for all the reviews and interest in this story. Please Enjoy..._

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**I'll go to it**

* * *

Darcy flopped onto her bed, paperwork and pop-tart crumbs flying everywhere. She settled on her stomach and leaned on her elbows as she glared down at a few reports that made as much sense as Jane and Erik rambling on about science after too many drinks. Except they were funny when they did that and the paperwork? It was just plain sad.

Finding a chunk of pop-tart in the mêlée of tangled blankets and papers under her chest, Darcy popped it into her mouth with a blasé shrug. She'd spent the better part of the whole weekend in bed and she couldn't even brag to Jane and say she found a sleepover partner. No, the sad truth was, Darcy was unravelling a conspiracy in the paperwork Edgar had given her to take care of.

Maybe _conspiracy_ was a little exaggerated but quite frankly, Darcy was unravelling a web of money laundering in the hundred thousands and honestly, she was starting to worry if the amount didn't swell to millions.

She wished she could call Thor to the rescue, or even use her new Iron Man kid watch and sic Widow on all of their asses but she didn't know who was in on it, and the only person she could trust was herself…and maybe Pepper Potts. Because nobody screwed with the Potts.

Her phone buzzed and she tore her attention away from the blurring letters to fumble around her messy futon for her mobile, "Yes?" She answered breathlessly. She really needed to go to the gym more if she was already winded by searching for her phone.

"Darcy?" Jane's distorted voice asked.

Darcy sat up and crossed her legs, "Hey Jane! How are you?"

Jane snorted, "How do you think? No, Erik! It's not ready yet!"

Darcy winced holding the phone from her ear when Jane began to shout at Erik in the background and soon, to Darcy's bemusement, they began bickering, "You okay?"

"Fine." Jane replied sounding very harassed, "Listen, I don't have time, since Erik keeps poking at the timer! I can see you, you know! Just because you're not looking at me doesn't mean you're invisible, Erik!"

"What's up?" Darcy asked laughing under her breath.

"Is Thor with you?" Jane asked.

"Ah, so it's balls before racks, is it?" Darcy teased.

Jane sighed, "I haven't heard from him in a few days and I got worried—"

"He's doing Avengers stuff." Darcy quipped, "And no, I have no freaking clue what that stuff is, Jane."

Jane sighed wistfully and Darcy steeled herself not to fall; Jane was a formidable foe when it came to laying the guilt on and Darcy _always_ gave in. But not this time. No way in hell would she give in.

"I'm just so lonely here—"

"You have science." Darcy countered.

"And I never see him anymore, Darcy."

Darcy shook her head, muttering her mantra of 'don't give in' under her breath and almost shrugged Jane off but then she heard it. And knew her doom was imminent.

The _sniffles. _

Damn it.

Darcy's shoulders fell and she reached blindly for her laptop, "What'll you have me do?"

"Like last time?" Jane asked.

"Last time? It's because of last time that Coul—he followed me personally for three days, Jane. _Three days_ with Mr. Stoic." Darcy complained.

Jane snorted, her sniffling sadness miraculously absent, "Didn't you say you had a few sex dreams of him?"

"Not the point! I have sex dreams about anyone, even you." Darcy said dryly.

"Darcy." Jane said exasperated.

"Calm down, I'll look. Phone me in thirty, okay?" Darcy hung up not waiting for a reply and opened her laptop.

Shoving her greasy hair in a messy ponytail, Darcy cracked her knuckles and proceeded to hack Shield. She wasn't going to lie; hacking was her first true love, and certainly not her handsy first boyfriend at age sixteen. And she was very good at it too; on the plus side of breaking the law, if her new job didn't work out and it may not with the conspiracy she unravelled, she could always hack for a living.

Shield did a very good job at encrypting their information but Darcy was better and in less than twenty minutes, and yes, she'd gloated to Jane, she found Thor's missions. She made sure to keep everything vague and only told Jane when Thor would be done and maybe she did lie a bit to Jane but in her defense, Jane was a worrier and if she told Jane some of his missions looked downright terrifying, Jane would never leave her alone. A bit selfish but her phone bill was already ginormous. She'd have to sell a kidney if Jane didn't hang up soon.

Mollified, Jane soon forgot about Darcy and Thor, yelling science at Erik. Darcy hung up and shook her head with a smile. Leave it to Jane to make her feel a little better. But then the loneliness crashed and she flopped back onto the bed staring dejectedly at her stained ceiling.

A knock sounded from her apartment door and Darcy started. She glanced at her cool watch; still in awe that Tony Stark had given Thor this watch for her. Tony freaking Stark! Another knock came from the door and Darcy sat up and reached on her nightstand for her taser. She didn't have any friends in the city and whoever had knocked twice must be trouble.

She padded to the apartment door and checked the peephole, the taser slipping from her fingers in shock. "Son of a bitch!" She shouted when it almost fell on her toes.

"Ms. Lewis?" A voice called from the other side of the door.

Darcy kicked the taser away, unlocked the deadbolt and threw open the door, "I don't know whether to be surprised or scared that you're here." She commented glaring at her visitor.

"May I come in?"

She sighed and moved away from the door, walking to her kitchen for something caffeinated. She had a feeling she'd be going to bed late. "Close the door behind you." She called.

Phil Coulson stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him, his keen eyes scanning the room in habit. Knowing Ms. Lewis was in the kitchen and couldn't see him, he allowed himself to quirk a brow as he noticed strewn clothes and milk crates in the den. He brushed a hand down the lapels of his black suit jacket composing himself; he hadn't been expecting Ms. Lewis to answer the door wearing next to nothing.

He stepped into the kitchen and waited by in the doorway for her to finally turn to him, "So…what do you want? Is this about earlier?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the interloper.

He blinked, the only reaction to her taking him by surprise before his mask settled back on his face, "I'm sure we'll get to that." He replied steadily, "Would you like to put on clothes?" He offered kindly.

She glanced down flushing when she realised she'd answered the door in underwear and a tank top; her bra hanging from the lamp in her bedroom. Oh, this was going to be _fun_, she thought with dread. "Before you interrogate me? I want to get this over with."

Phil's mouth tightened, his grey eyes sharpening, "I'm curious, Ms. Lewis if you remember being taught not to speak with strangers as a child."


	7. Knowing the heart I call my own

**Chapter Seven**

**Knowing the heart I call my own**

Darcy stumbled into the office and rubbed her bleary eyes, ignoring sneering receptionist, Ann, and stalked to her desk. She was so tired from last night with The Man that she hadn't even slept, just tossed and turned thinking of all the terrible things Shield could do to her if they decided to stop playing nice.

"Don't talk to strangers, he said. Don't be so nice, he said. Pfft, whatever you say, G-man." Darcy muttered falling into her chair. If she wanted to be friendly, she was damn well going to be friendly. The Man was just jealous of her bright smile and gorgeous hair.

Darcy had been worried to see Agent Coulson on the other side of her dead bolted door. She'd been so surprised she'd almost tased herself and the cacophony of emotions screaming in her mind silenced when she opened the door and met his cool sharp grey eyes. 

Halfway in-between wanting to be elated at seeing a familiar and damn it, handsome face and worrying what his presence implied, Darcy had done the civil thing and let him in her apartment. Oh, she regretted it, especially when she realised she was wearing nothing but underwear and a thin tank top against his designer suit. But the G-man had always been courteous, if not aloof, to her, even the times he stepped over her hung-over carcass sprawled on the cement floor of the lab back in New Mexico.

She had gotten the swift satisfaction of seeing his eyes trail lower before locking back onto her eyes and maybe because she hadn't gotten laid in a while or because all off-limit people were attractive to her, but damn, Son of Coul certainly had been a sight for sore eyes.

Darcy had almost confessed right then and there about hacking Shield but if her previous successful attempts at hacking Shield taught her anything, it was to deny, deny, deny and hope her poker face was as good as Jane said it was. So she hadn't brought anything up and waited impatiently for him to begin whatever the hell he planned.

But he knew. This was Coulson after all and he hadn't brought it up until much later. The bastard had let her stew, listening to him and waiting, fidgeting until she wanted to shout that she'd hacked Shield. It wasn't until she was escorting him back to her apartment door and opened it for him when he dropped the bombshell on her. Casually and with a faint curl of his lips forming a semblance of a smirk, he asked her to 'not hack Shield unless I'm working that day or else the techs get antsy and scuttle around' over his shoulder and strolled out.

She had blinked a few times unsure if she'd heard him correctly and then she began to laugh. Sure, Darcy had been riled that he'd known all along and had let her worry on purpose but damn, Coulson had a dry sense of humour that made her forget the reason for his visit.

Instead of asking questions, he began lecturing, _lecturing_ her on the follies of meeting new people, being too friendly and the worst of all, talking to strangers. She was just glad he hadn't tried to have 'The Talk' with her, she'd certainly have tased herself for sure.

The lecture had lasted almost two hours; he'd declined everything but peach tea though he rarely sipped, his eyes unwavering from her flushed face. The G-man was the epitome of mystery and enigma; she certainly had no idea where the lecture came from but with growing horror, she just _knew_ the strangers she bumped into the past couple of days were somehow related to him or the demon ward: Shield.

The very idea that he had sent Shield agents to spy on her made her blood boil and just when she had thought he wasn't so bad, he went and sent his puppets after her. When she had started demanding answers, the usual reticent Agent Coulson had been apologetic and explained that the failure of foresight was his own and not his 'mule headed' agents. It was only after he explained that his agents were a tad curious about Thor's friend, deciding to spy and gain the upper hand lest she turn into a tentacle villain; his words, not hers, that she was finally mollified.

She was far from happy though.

The time she'd been punched in the boob in eighth grade or pop-tart binged for four days during finals week her second year at Culver probably scored lower on her list of things most hated compared to the knowledge that she'd been spied and gossiped about.

Disgruntled, Darcy had thanked Agent Coulson for the lectures and escorted him out, making sure to slam the door extra hard behind him. Even after his assurances that they were going to be penalised when he thought of the fit punishment and yes, he was still planning and no, he didn't need her help at plotting, did Darcy finally decide on her mess of a life.

Darcy resolved that first thing she would do was demand answers from Edgar about the conspiracy money laundering scheme, she really did need to work on an acronym for that; and if any, _any_ strangers came up to her, she'd kick them in the shins and tase their ass. She was pretty sure Jane would be forgiving with the bail money too.

"Talking to yourself again, Darcy?"

Startled, Darcy's eyes flew open and found herself staring at a looming figure of Edgar. She straightened up and cleared her throat, "Sir," she shook her head correcting herself, "Edgar."

He nodded, "Did you finish the charity paperwork?" He asked outstretching a hand.

Darcy pulled out the folders but held them to her chest, "May I speak with you, Edgar?"

Edgar glanced around, an amused smirk settling on his thin lips, "We already are, Darcy."

She peeked around the columns, "In private." She whispered.

"Sure." He nodded with a slight frown, "We'll go get coffee okay?"

Darcy narrowed her eyes but followed behind him, ignoring the smirks and sneers the receptionists sent her way when she left the office floor with Edgar. She remained mum until they were in the lobby before she decided she was too impatient to be cautious, "Why not your office, Edgar?"

He glanced at her and huffed, "Because I know what this is about and I wouldn't put it past any of them to bug my office."

And that's when she knew. She, Darcy Lewis: Adult Extraordinaire, had stumbled upon her very own CMLS…okay, so she was still working on a cool acronym but the point was the same.

They decided on a coffee shop two blocks away and once Darcy was seated across from him, declining a latte because of her nerves, she came to the conclusion that waiting was never her strong suit and pulled out a few questionable files. She catalogued every twitch and wince Edgar emoted, "What are these?" She asked quietly.

He sipped his cream-diluted coffee, "You tell me." He retorted.

She squinted at him, "These are fraudulent charities, Edgar. And I know that you know that I know that you—"

Edgar lifted a hand wincing, "Okay, I'm already confused. Yes, I'm aware of this illegal activity."

"Are you in on it?" She asked.

"Would you believe me if I said no?" He grunted.

Darcy studied him, "So if I bring this to the higher ups, you would…?"

Edgar smirked, "Don't you think there are higher ups involved too?"

"What about Potts?" She asked.

He nodded, "Good girl."

"So you want me to bring this to the Potts?"

"The Potts?" He asked amused.

Darcy shook her head, "Shouldn't you be taking this a bit more seriously, Edgar?"

Edgar sighed and downed his coffee before leaning towards her, "I am, it may not seem like it but I am. And don't talk or bring it to anyone else, you hear me Darcy?"

She nodded, worried at the darkness in his voice, "I don't understand."

"Deciding which charities gets money from The Maria Stark Foundation is always handled in Legal since there's no specialised department and this year, since the senior manager who usually handles it died of a heart attack, it fell into my lap." He explained.

Darcy had a feeling Edgar didn't believe the heart attack had been natural but she was too freaked out to ask for certain, "So you're saying that a bunch of people are pilfering money from the Foundation? Why'd you dump it on my lap?"

"Because I have a wife and kids." He confessed.

And that's when Darcy realised she was expendable and worthless in everyone's eyes. Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly, "And I'm a nobody."

He grimaced, "No one would blink if you disappeared."

Darcy scowled at the folders on the table and shoved them back into her shoulder bag; she would show all those assholes that a veritable force to reckon with. "I got this job because of that, didn't I?"

Edgar nodded, "I was trying to hire a bimbo but then in your interview, you blew me away. Your laugh reminds me of my daughter's."

Darcy held up a hand to stave off more of his heartless comments; he meant well but damn, he sure knew how to make a girl feel special, "No more. I'll deal with this since it's my job." She couldn't deny his logic, he had a family that he didn't want hurt and she had and was nothing. It was logical but it didn't make her feel better.

Edgar nodded, "I'm serious Darcy. The senior manager must have disagreed, a little too late after all the money he helped steal, and was eliminated. They wouldn't hesitate to come after you."

"I'll see you back at the office." Darcy pushed away from the table, "Don't worry about me, Edgar. I'm just a nobody after all." She said over her shoulder and left the coffee shop.

She walked confidently back to the Tower, the sweat pooling down her back. She was nervous, how could she not be when she'd stumbled over a money laundering scheme in the hundreds of thousands. But Darcy had learned a few things with working with two deranged, but loveable, scientists. Fake it until one made it. And that was her plan.

If she didn't freak out about a god falling from the sky, a few aliens, hacking a top secret agency for fun, being spied on by agents and having Coulson babysit her a few times back in New Mexico, she was _not_ going to let a few greedy Suits think they could screw with a nobody.

So she exuded confidence, even if she was trembling inside, all the way back to her desk and pretended to work. After the first few hours, it came easier until she found herself five hours later with a hunched and very sore back, a stack of reports typed, printed and stapled on her desk finished for her stupid coworkers to pick up.

She may not have a brain like a lawyer's or be a superhero but she could kick ass like the best of them. And she was going to show all of them that screwing with a Lewis was a very terrible idea.

Sure, she could go to Coulson or press the indiscernible button on her watch but running to the 'adults' for help was something she refused to do. She may have gotten the job as a lark but she was going to keep it because of her skills and capabilities. For once in her life, she wanted to do something by her own hand rather than running after scientists or being written off because of her looks or vernacular. It was hell of a time to prove something to herself but she never had good timing anyway.

Glancing at her Iron Man watch, Darcy winced and stood up. She had missed dinner and would have to run home before it got too dark. That night Darcy barricaded her flimsy apartment door with the kitchen table and slept with the lights on and her tasers and pepper spray by her pillow for reassurance. It was almost laughable but there was no way in hell would she chance a 'heart attack' in the middle of the night without hacking Shield just to annoy Coulson one last time.


	8. Is riddled with doubts and (Part I)

Note: the next chapter has depictions of violence, pain, blood and hurt in it, so if you're uncomfortable, please read this one and chapter nine. I'll be sure to warn you next chapter as well. Please enjoy...

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**Chapter Eight**

**Is riddled with doubts and (Part I)**

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It took Darcy two weeks before she saw Pepper Potts and it took another week before she finally met the other woman. Darcy wasn't above admitting that by the third week, she'd almost given up, about to either push the Avengers bat call, and yes, she was still calling it that, or become a villain just so she could meet Iron Man and get him to pass the paperwork to Pepper Potts. Thor wasn't due back for another three weeks so she couldn't even pass the message along to him either. She was terribly impatient and even though she'd promised herself she could fix things without help, the wait was starting to make her twitch.

To be honest, she was siding with being a villain and had even started doodling her villainous costumes but halfway through realised that she was shit at sketching and the outfits were really not that flattering. Though her cape was the best part of the whole scenario. Maybe she could talk Thor into procuring an Asgardian cape for her when he got back.

She'd spent the weeks with her head down and working hard, coming to work very early and leaving very late so she could loiter around the lobby of the Avengers Tower. She'd even started eating lunch, whenever she could afford to pack one, in the lobby. It came to a point that the security guards were on first name basis with her and she'd grown quite close to him.

Matthias was fifty, eight kids and a wife that was so patient she 'never yelled even when she woke up from a nap with peanut butter and gum in her hair'. Matthias had a soft and kind face though keen eyes and a biting sense of humour that always had her snorting back her laughter.

He'd realised within the first week why she kept loitering around and finally by the third week decided he'd help her with whatever she was doing. Though he did tell her that if she so much as threatened Ms. Potts, he'd take her down and she had no qualms that he would enjoy every second of it. She had assured him it was a business matter and no tackling would be needed; Matthias had looked crestfallen at that but mollified.

"Where is she?" Darcy whispered breathlessly as she leaned heavily against the glass security island.

Matthias grunted in amusement, "Ms. Lewis, you need to work on your cardio."

She shook her head looking around the lobby but still didn't spot Ms. Potts, "I ran the last few floors down and I…damn, I'm tired." She wiped her sweaty forehead and nodded her thanks when Matthias slid a cold water bottle towards her, "You're really enjoying this too much."

He shrugged, "I told you Ms. Potts' estimated time arrival; I'm not the one who ran down eight flights of stairs because of impatience."

Darcy rolled her eyes and gulped down the water, "Well, it's not my fault." She said automatically before grinning sheepishly, "Okay, it actually is."

"There she is. Now remember what I said." Matthias reminded as Pepper Potts stepped into the lobby speaking into her mobile, flanked by two men in suits.

Darcy pushed away from the glass island and grumbled, "Yeah, yeah."

She straightened up and walked towards Ms. Potts intent on interceding the other woman as she headed towards the elevator. She ignored the speculative frowns the men in suits shot her way and continued to Pepper until one of them reached out to obstruct her.

But before becoming Darcy Lewis, Nobody Assistant and Money Laundering Scheme Finder, she had been Scientist Wrangler and she was used to alluding interference. It's why Agent Coulson still hadn't recruited her to Shield yet.

"Ms. Potts." She said and glared indignantly at the men, especially one of them who had a firm grip on her arm, "Do you mind?" She sniffed. "Thank you." She nodded pretentiously at the man before turning back to Pepper who was ending her call and looking curiously at Darcy.

She had always respected the other woman. She was lithe and graceful and in the few interviews the other woman gave, she was nothing but cool and calm poise. Whereas Darcy was all curves, snorted with laughter and she was not above admitting, she hated brushing her hair if she didn't need to leave her apartment. They were so different and staring up at Pepper Potts, yes, _up_, because the Louboutin heels Pepper was wearing had her towering over Darcy's kitten and scuffed heels; had Darcy almost shifting awkwardly under Pepper's unwavering gaze.

"Yes?" She smiled politely, her blue eyes sharpening on Darcy's face; impatience rolling from her.

Darcy swallowed nervously as she gathered her courage to blurt out, "I need to talk to you."

"Now's really not a good time, Ms.…?" Pepper said graciously.

"Lewis." Darcy offered.

"Ms. Lewis. My apologies but I have meetings all evening and—" She began.

Maybe because Darcy was sweating under Pepper's polite but calculating gaze, and the two men in suits flanking her seemed to grow restless but she interrupted the other woman, "I have time sensitive information, Ms. Potts." Oh, she was probably going to her own special hell for interrupting The Potts.

Pepper quirked a brow, "Oh?" She asked lightly and those who knew of Pepper Potts knew to fear the woman when she sounded disinterestedly curious.

And Darcy was very, _very _scared but she kept reminding herself that she was just trying to help, even if Pepper was looking at her like a three headed demon tap-dancing in a bikini. She nodded, "It has to do with the Maria Stark Foundation—" Darcy stopped abruptly when Pepper's phone rang.

"Excuse me, Ms. Lewis." Pepper smiled and answered the phone speaking faintly before she hung up, "Will tomorrow morning at nine be okay?" She offered.

Darcy nodded, it was but thirteen hours away; surely she could handle that, "Yes, thank you Ms. Potts."

Pepper nodded, "If you'll excuse me, Ms. Lewis."

Darcy smiled and watched as the trio stepped towards the private elevator, Pepper sliding a key card through the slot before the doors glided open and they disappeared into the metal mouth. She'd never seen anyone use that elevator before, and it was both thrilling and terrifying to know she'd just shouldered her way into a morning meeting with The Potts.

She turned on her heels and sauntered back to the elevator, giving Matthias a thumbs up as she waited for the elevator. When the elevator's doors slid open, she stepped inside and finally allowed herself to breathe deeply.

She stepped onto the legal department's floor, making sure to keep her eyes ahead and went to pack her things; the day finally over. Edgar caught her gaze and she nodded ever so slightly to let him know she'd finally set things into motion and left.

Darcy had made sure to keep Edgar in the loop but was smart enough to know if she was seen around him, he was at danger. The sting of his words had finally dulled to a barely felt ache and after she'd seen the many photos of his family littering his desk, she agreed that it was all up to her now. He had told her a week ago that his family had decided to go on vacation and if the seriousness of the situation hadn't felt real: it felt very tangible at that moment.

Darcy still slept with the lights on, and lost five pounds because she hadn't been able to buy groceries aside from crackers and juice to pay for the extra baggage on her electrical bill. She just wanted to tell Pepper everything and go on with her life. She didn't even know if she would have a job by tomorrow morning and Jane's demands that Darcy move back in with her, though she was still on an extended vacation with Erik, was starting to sound good. She'd just have to buy earplugs, earphones and a radio for when Thor slept over.

Stepping into her apartment, she dead bolted and slid the only chair she had against the doorknob in precaution. She wanted to kick herself for making such a big deal to Agent Coulson about his agents spying on her. She'd really go for some of that surveillance right about now…or at least the knowledge that she was safe. But he'd promised that she would no longer be under surveillance by his agents and when Coulson promised something, it was law.

Darcy stumbled into her kitchen, scratching absently at her head as she perused her empty fridge. She grabbed a shrivelled lone apple and the empty jar of peanut butter, "What a lovely dinner, self." She muttered and glanced inside the jar with a nod; it'd take some scraping but it would get her through the hunger pains.

She yawned biting into the apple and rubbed her eyes before righting her glasses. She was exhausted from the lack of sleep these past couple of weeks and the knowledge that she'd finally be done with it all tomorrow morning had her happily looking forward to a few hours of blissful shut-eye.

Tugging and pulling off her mint chiffon blouse and black slacks, Darcy kicked them aside for laundry day and fell onto her bed, dinner in hand. The relief had pushed away the tension and paranoia that left her happily tired and sedated with the knowledge that tomorrow was but a few hours away.

After finishing her dinner, Darcy went to the bathroom to get ready to call it an early night. It was nearing the end of July and it was stifling outside but she didn't feel comfortable with her windows slightly ajar and after Coulson's visit, her opaque ivory blinds were firmly lowered, barring any voyeurs from looking in.

She yawned and plaited her hair into a side braid as she stumbled to the bed. She kept the lights on but gently placed her glasses on the nightstand beside the bed and reached for her taser, sliding it under her pillow. Darcy covered herself with her quilt, it was sweltering and she was already sweating in nothing but a t-shit and cotton blue underwear but it was a crutch that she'd never give up. Soon, before she could even conceive of a daydream to lull her, she was pulled down and lost herself to slumber. **  
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End file.
